Needle for talking-machines.



No. 866,950. PATENTED SEPT.,24, 1907.

C. L. MEYERS. NEEDLE FOR TALKING MACHINES.

AYPLIOATION FILED JULY 19.1907.

UNITED STATES PLAT i CHARLES L. MEYERS, F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

No. aeaeso..y

Needles for Talking-Machines, of which .the following is a specification.-

The invention lrelates to` needles used in instrul ments of the Vtalking machine class for engaging the groove in the record and transmitting sound vibrations induced thereby to the diaphragm of the reproducer, andthe object of the invention is to provide a needle which in' coperation ywith'the record `groove and sound-box, will `reproduce the-record clearly and distinctly, with marked lessening of scratch and increased fidelity to true tonal qualities.

NEEDLE Fon TALKING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Applications@ July 19.1007., serial No. 384,595.

G3, two one-thousandths (2/1000) of an inch; the maxivremata sept. 24, 1907.

ENT' FFICE. ,N

mum concavity of, the curve forming the tapered,-

point should be four one-thousandths (4/1000) of an inch; the length of the point two hundred and thirtyfive one-thousandths (235/1000) of'an'inch; Ithe length of the cylindrical body four hundred and fifty onethousandths (450/1000) of an inch, and the total `length six hundredv and eightyfve one-thousandths (oss/1000).

1 I have found thebelst material to be highly carbonized steel .of tough fiber, hardened to as great al de`.

gree as may be without becoming brittle.

Itis believed the reason for the increased efciency .l

of the improved needle is largely due to the forml of the point and the position it occupies in the groove..

Its concavity insures-contacten the'sides of the The invention consists in certain details of fogrjove at two points only, andl the fiat facevaf meter.

size, and proportions of parts, l'by which the ab objects are attained, to be hereinafter described;

The accompanying drawings form a part of thisA specification and show what `is considered to be the best form of the invention.

Figure 1 his an elevation of a portion of a record and sound-box vshowing the improved needle in place. Fig. 2 is an` elevation or side view of the needle alone, on a greatlymagnified scale. Fig; 3` is a corresponding end view. Fig. 4 is a section through a portion of a record, on a still larger scale, showing 'the point of the needle inelevation, in a record groove. The

Nline of section being the center line of such groove.

Fig. 5 is'a corresponding section and elevation. The

line of section being transverse to the grooves.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures. i i

A'standard disk record made by theV Victor Talking Machine ,Company, and having the usual volute groove a therein, and B a standard sbund-box having a tube Bl leading therefrom to a horn, not shown, and a socket B for a needle.

The improved needle has a cylindrical body C and a concavely tapered point Cl; the upper end of the .body and the lower extremity of the point terminate in plane laces, marked 2, C3 respectively, parallel with each other and at a right angle to the axial line of the needle. w

My experiments indicate that the body C of `the needle should be sixtyfive one-thousandths (G5/1000) of an inch in diameter; the diameter of the point-face urination of the point lies always above and out of contact with theubottom'of the groove, thus the area of contact is extremely limited resulting in greatly lessening the objectionable scratch ordinarily very noticeable. The form of the point permits it to penetrate to sufiicient depth in the groove to insure per` fect engagement therewith, and the attenuation of the point permits the latter to follow accurately slight sinuosities in the lateral bends or convolutions of the socket Bf in which the needle is held, and aids thereby in transmitting the vibrations.

Whether the above theoretical'reasoning be correct or not; the'fact remains that a needle formed as shown and described produces results far in Iadvance of those produced by any other needle known to me. The improvement is especiallymarked in the reproduction of instrumental music andthe tones of the singing or speaking voice. The clearness of detail, accentuation and the tone qualities of the human voice are distinguishable to the faintest inflection .and intonation. In band music the broad tones of the bass horns are reproduced with softness and true tonal value, preserving all the e ect of their great sound volumes. On the middle register and high notes there is a clearness of tone and distinctness of sound identical with actual playing.

The improvedneedle by reason of its form and peculiar engagement with `the groove, wears but little and apparently reproduces the last notes of the record as clearly and distinctly as the first, and also acts less destructively on 'the record, thus prolonging its term of usefulness. I

I claim 2. The talking machine needle described, compriaim,r a cylindrical body and a concavely tapered point.

3. The talking machine needle described, comprising a body, a concavely tapered point, and a plane face forming the termination ot said point.

4. The talking machine needl'e described, comprising a cylindrical body. a concavelyjapered point, a plane face at the end ot salti body, and a plane face forming." the termination of said point, Said faces arranged parallel to each other and at a right angle to the axial line of said needle.

5. In a talking machine needle, a cylindrical body having a diameter of 6Fl/1000 of an inch, a concavely tapered point 2235/1000 of an inch in length and terminating in a plane tace 2/1000 of an inch in diameter and arranged at a right angle to the axial line of said needle, thc concavity of lsaid point' being 4/1000 of an inch at thc greatest depth of the curve.

6. The talking machine needle described, comprising n cylindrical body, n concavely tapered point` und a plane face forming the termination of the latter, in combination with a sound-box and record of a talking.r machine,

ln testimony that l claim the invention above sei forth l aix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses Iii-:wxs R. Mamas, CHARLES R. Shanna. 

